Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!wmich!wmu-cs!spencer
From: spencer@cs.wmich.edu (Josh Spencer)
Newsgroups: comp.misc
Subject: Re: USSR International Computer Club (was: Information on the ICC)
Summary: Remember Robert M. McNamara?  "MAD is MAD!!!"
Message-ID: <454@cs.wmich.edu>
Date: 10 Feb 89 21:52:48 GMT
References: <10127@well.UUCP> <1315@orion.cf.uci.edu> <810@afit-ab.arpa> <478@eda.com>
Distribution: na
Organization: Western Michigan Univ. CS Dept., Kalamazoo, MI
Lines: 33


Discussing our defensive/offensive policies is a lot of fun.  Something we
should all consider is this.  We are appraching the era, IF WE HAVE NOT DONE
SO ALREADY...of what can best be described as "Selective destruction."  Our
technology is so damned advanced right now, and I am refering to that of the 
Western Alliance (U.S., NATO and Japan), it literally scares the shit out of
the Soviets.  This of course, is only ONE reason Gorbachev has Glasnost and
Perestroika these days.  He is the first Russian leader to REALLY realize
his country can't afford to compete any longer with the West...in anything.

Back in the days of yore, we had the sword.  Nice, bloody, but quite selective 
in who a warrior wished to slay.  Then, we invented gunpowder.  "God made all
Men, but Colonel Colt made them all Equal."  Next, naval vessels which can lob
a 16-inch, one ton shell twenty miles with relative (for their day) accuracy.
Then we had to race, and beat, Hitler from blowing up the rest of the world.
We know how bloody, and MESSY, nuclear weapons can be.  Then France invented,
with its "force de frappe" attitude, the neutron bomb...kills people but
leaves the goods.  Now, we have lasers, particle beam weapons, kinetic kill
projectiles, SDI,...it certainly seems to me that things are coming full
circle once again.  This is what we must keep in mind.

Another thing...Russian's been invaded so damn many times...besides Hitler
and Napoleon...their "we're gonna fight and beat the shit out of those who
invade us until they get the hell out of our country" attitude is essen-
tially ingrained into their consciousness.  THAT will take an awfully long
time to convince not necessarily the people of Russia, but their government
as well, that this won't happen anymore, at least from us.  Maybe Mr.
Gorbachev may realize this already too.

Thanks, all...I felt I had to put my two kopecks (is that a Russian monetary
unit?) in...or at least two rubles.

J0SH W. SPENCER